Every game this week is a good match-up, Delaware-Towson being the worst of the bunch. A Maine win will solidify them into a very crowded middle-of-the-pack in which the fourth and fifth conference playoff bids will be fought for. They still need to win out.

..."I feel like we all knew that we had to go home with this win we we’re not taking that bus ride home with an "L"." defensive back Manny Patterson said.

If Maine hopes to make the playoffs it will need to pretty much win out and receive help from other teams around the country, but the Black Bears say that all starts with Saturday's tilt against the Tribe.

A focus that was fostered after the team's loss to Villanova.

"I learned my lesson as a head coach not looking to far ahead not putting too much on each game. Looked at myself first, figured it out and you know I think just our approach and the message has been just one practice at a time one game at a time," Harasymiak said.

NewspaperUMaine football team seeking third straight win...“I’ve learned my lesson as a young coach (not to take any opponent lightly),” said Harasymiak. “You have to take things one game at a time, one practice at a time.”

“Last year was good for us because we played so many close games, even against teams that didn’t have good records,” said special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach Nick Charlton. “William & Mary has played some good teams. You can’t overlook anybody in this conference. It’s going to be a battle.”

“Their record is deceiving,” said UMaine redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Ferguson. “They’ve played some tough teams tight. We’ve got to execute at a high level.”

...Maine's (4-3, 3-3 CAA) smothering defense forced William & Mary (2-6, 0-5 CAA) into a one-dimensional offense, holding the Tribe to 6-for-22 passing and 57-yards in the air. The Tribe converted on just 3-of-16 third down attempts.

The Black Bears have now stretched their streak of not allowing an offensive touchdown to eight quarters.

Offensively, Chris Ferguson threw for 192-yards and a score and Josh Mack added 99-yards and a touchdown as the Black Bears posted 342-yards.

The Black Bears limited William & Mary to just three first downs in the first half, and 66 total yards, as they were able to shutout the Tribe on third down (0-for-8) and carry a 13-3 lead into the break.

A trio of field goals opened the scoring in the first half. After Darrius Hart intercepted William & Mary on its first drive, the Tribe answered with a 41-yard field goal by Kris Hooper.

...Facing a third-and-10, redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Ferguson completed a 45-yard pass across the middle to sophomore speedster Earnest Edwards and the drive eventually produced a two-yard touchdown run by Josh Mack that all but sewed up UMaine’s 23-6 Colonial Athletic Association win over the offensively-anemic Tribe at Alfond Stadium.

Mack scored with 13:43 left in the game and fifth-year senior Brandon Briggs of Saco kicked his third field goal of the contest 5:30 later.

“It was something I’ve missed (with my throws) in past games, so we’ve been working on it,” said Ferguson. “It was definitely something we wanted to hit. (Earnest) ran his route, I threw it to a spot, the ball came up and he got it and he just ran the rest. He made a good play getting down the field and getting us a lot of yards there.”

“It’s called a Delta. I saw the middle of the field wide open so I just curved it and he threw a great ball,” said Edwards, who carried the ball down to the WM-30.